Learning a New Lesson
by winds.of.mystery
Summary: Kisshu knows where Ichigo studies, and Ryou and Keiichiro have to protect her. Keiichiro ends up being Ichigo's new teacher, and the aliens have a new ally!
1. Chapter 1

NOTE: This is after episode 27 when Kisshu finds out that the staff's Mew Aqua is gone.

`'`'`'`'`'`'

*with Deep Blue*

"I was watching, Kisshu." Deep Blue stated. "I knew I should have kept an eye on you. Pai activated the video for me. I am disappointed."

"Demo, Deep-Blue!" Kisshu insisted. "That isn't the only piece of Mew Aqua!"

"But you don't have a clue where the others are." Deep Blue continued. "Why, you don't even know if they're on our planet. Hah! Kisshu… I see you can fool your brothers easily." Pai and Taruto looked at Kisshu angrily. "But I know someone you can't fool. Your new partner has already started working. How effective!"

`'`'`'`'`'`'

*at the Café*

"Ichigo has been gone for a long time." Ryou pointed out.

"Hai," Minto admitted. "But she's with Aoyama-kun. Let them have their privacy. Plus, we don't need Ichigo at all times, do we?"

"Ah, Minto…" Zakuro sighed.

"Nani?" Minto asked nonchalantly. Zakuro simply ignored her and continued to serve tables.

`'`'`'`'`'`'

*in Kisshu's dimension*

"Kisshu!" Pai snapped angrily. "You made Deep Blue lose trust in _all of us_! How could you do such a thing!"

"Calm down, Pai!" Kisshu said with a devilish smile. "Let's meet our new partner, shall we?"

"I bet he's an ass just like Kisshu." Taruto laughed.

"We should trust Deep Blue's choice." Pai stated impatiently. "Let's just meet him."

As the three walked up to the computer, they only saw long, wavy hair and two legs coming from the bottom.

"Ew, a long haired dude." Kisshu whispered, making Taruto laugh off of his feet. Their new partner obviously noticed, looked up and turned around. All three gasped in shock.

"Our new partner's a…" Kisshu stammered nervously. Their new partner seemed to get angry and growled.

"Girl!?" Pai finished.

"Well, what's the problem with that?" she asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"Girls can't fight!" Taruto exclaimed, and their partner made an electric guitar appear.

"Ya wanna bet?" she said, ready to attack.

"No, it's just that…" Taruto tried explaining.

"_Wait_!" Kisshu suddenly yelled. "I know you from somewhere…"

"Baka!" the girl yelled back. "It's Mayumi." Pai suddenly looked as if a thousand knives had stabbed him.

_Haha! _Kisshu thought. _It's Pai's ex-girlfriend!_

`'`'`'`'`'`'


	2. Chapter 2

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"Hey, Ichigo!" Ryou called out after the Café had closed.

"Shirogane, I've already cleaned the bathrooms…" Ichigo whined. "Please, if you make me do that again, I might be traumatized for life!"

"Baka, it's not that!" Ryou snapped back. "I heard that Kisshu has visited your school. Attacked Ao-something. Meaning, he knows where you study, and that might be dangerous, since you can't transform in front of your friends."

"Demo, Shirogane, it was only once. And, plus, you don't need to be _so _protective."

"Ichigo, these are aliens that could annihilate humanity! We can't keep our guard down."

"Well, then, what are we going to do about it, Shirogane?"

Ryou tried to control himself, but was unable to hold back his laughter. At this time, Keiichiro passed by, carrying dirty plates to the kitchen.

"I heard that." Akasaka stated, and it was the first time one of the Mews had seen him frown that way. Keiichiro turned back to Ichigo with a smile and said, "I'm going to teach at your school."

Ryou broke down laughing. He lay almost breathless on the floor, holding his stomach with one arm and his head in the other. Keiichiro growled as he walked away, and Ichigo went home with great curiosity.

_What class will he teach? _Ichigo thought as she walked home. _Will I be in his class? Well, I'm sure he will be a great teacher, anyways!_

`'`'`'`'`'`'

Ichigo walked to school, ready to return from a well-deserved summer break.

"Baka Kisshu!" she said to herself. "No… baka Taruto! Because of his Chimera Animals, I didn't do my homework! Nyaa…"

Ichigo walked into her first classroom, chatting away with Miwa and Moe, when Miwa suddenly gasped desperately.

"Miwa, nani?" Ichigo asked, and followed her glance to the new, tall teacher that was writing something on the board.

"Akasaka-san!" Miwa exclaimed as her eyes grew wider. Ichigo smiled. _How perfect is this change? _Ichigo asked, not believing the situation.

"Eh, Akasaka-san?" Ichigo said shyly, poking his shoulder. He turned around with a smile.

"Konichiwa, Momomiya-san!" he said happily. Ichigo began pressing her index fingers together nervously.

"Well, since you're my teacher," Ichigo said nervously. "You _do _understand why I didn't do my homework, so…" Keiichiro chuckled slightly.

"Ichigo, you could've done it before, you know!" Akasaka-san explained, still holding his smile. Ichigo's face reddened.

"EEeeehh…?" Ichigo wailed desperately.

"Take a seat, Momomiya-san!" Keiichiro said, and as Ichigo turned around, she only saw her hypnotized friend staring intensely at her teacher.

"Miwa!" Ichigo began, her mood becoming worse by the moment. "Would you grow up? Geez…" Miwa immediately thought Ichigo had said that because of her "lover's" age difference, and sat in her seat angrily.

"Ichigo-chan," Moe began calmly. "I think you upset Miwa."

"Well, then, tell her to grow out of her anger." Ichigo said with a huff as she sat down.

Class was actually very fun. Ichigo loved the way Keiichiro explained everything, and how she felt so free to ask questions. In the middle of class, Ichigo was thinking of the many benefits it would have to have Keiichiro in school when she suddenly realized something.

_Nya, if Akasaka-san is around, _Ichigo thought as she began blushing. _Then he will see anything that happens with Aoyama-kun and I! Nya!! I won't be able to be with him… NYAA! What if Aoyama-kun tries to kiss me and Akasaka-san is there!?_

Ichigo felt her cat ears pop out, but fortunately, she had been so mad at Keiichiro before that she sat on the last row. She immediately covered her head, and was surprised since most teachers asked what was wrong at this time. But Keiichiro knew.

"So, if you could all look at the _board_," she heard him say, feeling relieved that he was helping. Fortunately, the bell rang and Ichigo's ears disappeared.

"Ichigo, could you come here, please?" Keiichiro called out. Ichigo nodded and went up to his desk.

"What were you thinking about, Momomiya-san?" Keiichiro asked with a sly smile. "I saw your cat ears popping out!" Ichigo blushed.

"I-I… N-nothing!" Ichigo exclaimed, but Keiichiro only laughed.

"Ichigo, your cat ears are out!" he laughed, and watched her desperately cover them. "But don't worry, I don't have another class until next period."

"Akasaka-san!" Ichigo whined.

"Just go to class and you can tell me at the Café, okay?"

`'`'`'`'`'`'

"Today was tiring!" Minto exclaimed after the store closed.

"Tiring!?" Ichigo said angrily. "You didn't do anything!"

"But all of the chatter…" Minto explained. "My ears are still ringing! I couldn't hear my own thoughts…"

"Speaking of thoughts!" Keiichiro said with a smile as he entered the room. Ichigo began laughing nervously.

"Well, I gotta go! Bye!!" Ichigo said as she ran out. Zakuro stretched out her arm and held Ichigo's.

"Oh, no, you don't!" she laughed. "Akasaka-san told me about your classroom incident. Thinking of Aoyama-kun again? Some things never change…"

"Noo! I just-" Ichigo stammered, but Zakuro pressed her finger against Ichigo's lips.

"Just cover your cat ears, 'kay?" Zakuro said calmly and walked away.

"NANI!?" Ichigo said as she began freaking out. "NYAAaa…! I'm going home!"

`'`'`'`'`'`'

The next day in school, class began as usual. Keiichiro was calling students by name to turn in their homework.

"Miwa?"

"Hai!" Miwa said as she walked up happily, showing Akasaka-san her homework.

"Your homework is very neat, Miwa." Keiichiro said with a smile. Miwa blushed and walked back, smiling from ear-to-ear.

"Ichigo?"

"Ehh… Akasaka-san…" Ichigo said whispering. "You _do _remember I was fighting Kisshu yesterday?"

"Hai, but I still can't excuse you, Momomiya-san. Gomen dasai."

"B-but… what's the point of you having here if you don't understand the fact that… that the Earth can be so much more important than homework? I-I… I'm fighting Kisshu, Pai and Taruto… for our safety!"

"Ichigo, you had time when you went home. So you don't need excuses."

"Nyaa! Akasaka-san!"

"Oh, alright, but only this time, okay? And don't tell any of your friends!"

"Hai, hai! Arigato!"

`'`'`'`'`'`'


	3. Chapter 3

`'`'`'`'`'`'

"Keiichiro!" Ryou called out before the store opened with a sly smile. "I can't believe you excused Ichigo from her homework!"

"Hatashi…!" Keiichiro stammered, until he noticed that Ryou was just messing with him. "Ryou, she's a Mew Mew. Earth is a bit important, you know."

"Really? I didn't notice!" Ryou joked.

"Konichiwa! Gomen dasai, I'm late again!" Ichigo said as she ran in. "Arigato again, Akasaka-san!"

"Don't expect it to happen again!" Ryou laughed, and Ichigo childishly stuck her tongue out.

"Not if you were my teacher!" Ichigo exclaimed angrily.

"Actually," Minto said, giving her two cents of the conversation. "If he was your teacher, you wouldn't be able to complete your homework _without _any Chimera Animals!"

The five Mews laughed as Ryou joined in sarcastically, making Minto quite proud since her joke had made him mad.

"Well, let's get to work." Ryou began, smiling devilishly and looking straight at Minto. "At least some of us actually will!"

`'`'`'`'`'`'

Keiichiro continued writing on the board as Miwa, out of habit, continued to ask Ichigo to ask Akasaka-san what he felt about her.

"Miwa, I couldn't!" Ichigo replied, as always. "I don't like being used like this, nor do I like working this way!"

"Well, class sit down…" Keiichiro began, putting his two palms on his desk and looking towards his class.

"…And get ready for the show!" said an unknown voice. At least to most of them.

"Kisshu! Nyaa, not now!" Ichigo whined. Kisshu suddenly teletransported inside.

"Konichiwa, koneko-chan!" he laughed. "And look, koneko-chan's friend! What are you doing here? Teaching them fake information? 'Aliens don't exist!' Hahah…!"

"Kisshu…" Keiichiro growled as he slammed his fist on the desk.

"You know, I never got to know your name," Kisshu said evilly as he turned to the board and read out. "Akasaka-san. Heh! Your spirit seems to be pure. Why not? Koneko-chan can't transform here anyways!"

Kisshu stretched out his hand and began pulling Keiichiro's spirit, but he struggled and kept it in.

"Baka! I don't have time for this!" Kisshu yelled and turned to the class. "I need an easier victim." Ichigo watched as Keiichiro fell to the floor, holding his stomach fiercely.

"Eh… run, everyone!" Ichigo encouraged. Most did, but Kisshu was able to get a victim.

"Not so pure, but useable!" Kisshu said sadly. "FUSION!!"

The animal looked like a large bird, with wings made of blades and a beak that curved down to a point. Its large chest contained a large gem, as if it had grown into it. Kisshu laughed wildly.

"What are you gonna do now, koneko-chan?" he asked devilishly.

"Mew Mew Strawberry!" Ichigo yelled out. "METAMORPHO-SIS!"

"Koneko-chan, you look so Kawaii in those clothes!" Kisshu laughed. "Too bad they won't exist anymore. Along with _you_!"

The Chimera Animal was quite fast, and Ichigo had to jump around quite a lot to dodge it. Ichigo had been hit quite a few times when the Chimera Animal grabbed Akasaka-san. Ichigo tried to give it a Strawberry Check, but it reflected it with its diamond, sending it right back to Ichigo. The Chimera Animal was from a very smart student, so he held out Keiichiro in front of him so that if Ichigo hit the Chimera Animal she would also hit Akasaka-san.

"Ichigo, just do it!" Keiichiro yelled, giving up from any hope of prying himself loose.

"But, Akasaka-san…" Ichigo cried out.

"_GO, Mew Ichigo_!" he yelled as he struggled for breath. Warm tears began running down the girl's face. She tried to get behind the Chimera Animal before doing anything, but the room was too small for her to do that without being hit severely.

"Gomen dasai, Akasaka!" Ichigo yelled between hiccups as she hit the Chimera Animal with a Strawberry Surprise (on the Chimera Animal's head, behind Keiichiro, so that the gem wouldn't hit it).

Ichigo didn't have the courage to look up, but when she did, she saw Keiichiro standing quite well. The student's spirit and the jellyfish-like infusor were gone thanks to Masha.

"N…nani?" Ichigo sobbed, still unable to control her tears.

"Don't cry, koneko-chan!" Kisshu said with fake concern. He teletransported closer to her and gave her an unexpected kiss. If Ichigo wasn't transformed, her cat ears would pop out.

Ichigo suddenly slapped Kisshu (but because of her claws she actually scratched him). Kisshu had turned to Keiichiro from the strength of the blow, and Akasaka watched drops of blood trickle down Kisshu's face.

"Someone's feisty today!" Kisshu said with a pained smile, and teletransported away.

"Has he ever-" Akasaka-san began.

"Done that before? Unfortunately…" Ichigo wailed as she began spitting on the floor.

`'`'`'`'`'`'


	4. Chapter 4

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*at the Café*

"Looks like Ichigo has had her first kiss after all!" Keiichiro said in the middle of his conversation with Ryou.

"With Aoyamo?" Ryou asked, trying not to look as if he cared.

"Aoyama-kun? No." Keiichiro replied, laughing. "Kish."

"Kish!?" Ryou asked, now turning to his friend with wide open eyes.

"Well, actually, _he _kissed _her._ I guess it wasn't really her fault."

"Ichigo and Kisshu? Well, that's an odd couple… I mean, come on, they're the bad guys."

"Not in their point of view, Ryou."

"I don't care about their point of view. I care about how they're trying to live on Earth the wrong way. The human-less way."

"'The human-less way'? Ryou, you need new vocabulary!"

Shirogane laughed and said, "Let's just get to work, okay?"

"Gomen dasai! I'm late, I know!" Ichigo yelled as she ran in. "I'll get changed right away!"

"Let's hope your other boyfriend won't be there too!" Ryou mocked, and Ichigo looked extremely confused.

"Other boyfriend? My only boyfriend is Aoyama-kun!" Ichigo protested.

"Not from what I heard," Ryou said, chuckling as he said this. "Alien-kisser."

"NYAA!!" Ichigo wailed, as she began freaking out. "Who told you about that!? Eh?? Akasaka-saaaan!!"

"Hai!" he answered calmly.

"Why did you tell everyone about Kisshu!?" Ichigo whined.

"I didn't tell everyone. Just Ryou."

"Well, he's not exactly being supportive, now is he?"

"Well, please excuse his behavior. He just loves messing with you, so ignore it."

"How can I ignore it if he might tell _Aoyama-kun_?"

"Momomiya-san, Ryou wouldn't be stupid enough to tell a human about aliens, now would he?"

"Akasaka-saaan!!"

"Don't worry, I'll talk to him and he'll lay off, okay?"

"Nyaa… nyaa…" Ichigo whined as she returned to work.


	5. Chapter 5

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*at school*

At lunch time, a small circle of happy girls slowly formed around Ichigo's desk. She wasn't in Keiichiro's class, so he really couldn't help her now.

"Nani?" Ichigo asked. "Who are you?" The girls began giggling.

"Miwa told us that you know Akasaka-san well!" one of them said, yet Ichigo wasn't able to recognize her.

"Eh, hai, demo-" Ichigo began, when the girls suddenly started to jump up and down happily.

"Can you introduce us to him?" they all asked in union.

"Eh, well," Ichigo said nervously. "You should go to… Café Mew Mew… on 5th street…"

_Author's note: I don't know which street it is so let's make it 5__th__, 'kay? ;)_

"Café Mew Mew?" another asked.

"Hai, he owns the cake store." Ichigo explained. All of the girls suddenly let out a "Kyaa!" excitedly, and began commenting on what they heard.

"He cooks too?"

"Wow, he must be the most perfect guy ever!"

"I hope he serves my table!"

Ichigo got up slowly and escaped the classroom, leaving the fan girls to chat happily about Keiichiro.

`'`'`'`'`'`'

"This time, it's not my fault I'm late, nor Aoyama-kun's!" Ichigo yelled, as she barged into the Café and began peeking out the door. "Nya, here they come! Save yourselves!"

"Alien?" Ryou asked worriedly.

"No, worse!" Ichigo whined.

"Chimera Animal?" Ryou guessed.

"No, even _worse _than that!" Ichigo continued as she began running around in circles.

"Then _who_!?" Ryou asked again, now getting annoyed.

"_Akasaka-san's fan girls_!" Ichigo yelled nervously as she ran out and hid behind the counter. "Nyaa, there's millions of them! They will rule the world before the aliens do!"

Ryou suddenly burst out laughing.

"Come on, Ichigo head, how bad could they-" Ryou asked, but was soon interrupted when a wave of girls barged in the Café and filled in every seat. There were even some waiting in line outside, looking around excitedly for their teacher.

"Be…" Ryou completed. "Well, I'll be in my room… traumatized."

"Ichigo, what is all this?" Keiichiro asked behind her.

"Nya, Akasaka-san!" Ichigo whined. "Can you stop being yourself for one day? These girls are just tiring us out!"

At that moment, one girl pointed out that Keiichiro was there, and all began freaking out. Keiichiro stood there, frozen, not knowing how to react.

"Kitchen?" Ichigo asked, knowing the answer.

"Kitchen!" Akasaka-san cried out as he returned to his personal space.

"Hey, Keiichiro!" Ryou called out from the hall before entering his room. "There's someone out there waiting for you!"

"Hai, hai!" Keiichiro laughed.

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	6. Chapter 6

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*at the park*

Ichigo looked down to her legs as she waved them above the floor.

_I'm tired of just sitting on this old bench… _Ichigo thought to herself. _Aoyama-kun… where are you?_

"Ichigo?" called out a male voice. Ichigo looked up hopefully, only to see the manager of Café Mew Mew.

"Akasaka-san." Ichigo said as her smile faded away.

"What's wrong?" he asked with a concerned look as he sat down beside her.

"Nothing… I guess I'm just tired."

"From sitting here?"

"I have been sitting here for three hours!"

"Three hou…? Goodness, Momomiya-san! What led you to doing that?"

Ichigo continued to look down as tears began forming in her eyes. _Not here… not in front of Akasaka-san… _Ichigo whined in her head.

_"_Momomiya-san? Why are you crying?"

"Gomen dasai, Akasaka-san…"

"No, it's OK. Do you want to talk about it?"

Ichigo couldn't hold back her tears anymore. She threw herself at Keiichiro, holding his stomach tightly in a hug. Her warm tears soaked into his white shirt.

"Akasaka-san! I sent a text to Aoyama-kun…" she sobbed between hiccups. "And I've been waiting here for three hours but he _just isn't coming_! I didn't do anything…"

"I'm sure you didn't, Momomiya-san…" Akasaka-san said nervously without knowing how to handle the situation. "Eh, are you going to be OK?"

"I don't know… I mean, I'm such an emotional wreck!"

"It's just love, Momomiya-san." Keiichiro said as he looked out to the horizon dreamily. "Love can hurt you. Badly."

_But you actually did something wrong before you broke up with her… _Ichigo thought as she laughed into Keiichiro's shirt.

"What's so funny?" he asked, and that's when Ichigo realized she had actually laughed out loud.

"Eh… I, uh," Ichigo began. "I bet I scared you when I hugged you…" Keiichiro laughed heartily.

"It's alright." He replied kindly.

"Are you saying I _did _scare you?" Ichigo joked. Keiichiro knew she was joking and laughed along.

"Arigato, Akasaka-san…" Ichigo smiled, as she hugged him one more time.

`'`'`'`'`'`'

A few hours before (three, to be exact), Aoyama-kun hadn't realized that his cell phone ran out of battery. It didn't really matter, since he was training kendo.

After training, he spoke to a senpai about his relationship with Ichigo and how he felt that kendo was taking up most of his time. There was a long discussion between the two.

Aoyama-kun was very tired when he got home, so he just watched TV. Then he looked at his cell phone (turned off), and when he put it in the charger, he saw Ichigo's message:

_Meet me at the park at four. Ichigo ^o^_

"That was three hours ago!" he yelled, as he jumped up and clumsily put some clothes on. "Ichigo! I'm coming!"

Aoyama-kun was breathless, yet when he got to the park, he froze pale. He only saw Ichigo from a distance, embracing another man, laughing her heart out.

_Ichigo… why? _Aoyama-kun thought, as warm tears ran down his face. _I want you to be happy, but… no… I can't leave you… Ichigo… I'll always protect you… but if you can't accept my love… I can't make you._

Aoyama-kun ran out of the park, and his footsteps echoed throughout the park.

"Hey, Aoyama-kun!" Ichigo yelled happily when she saw him, but she realized he was running away.

"Aaah! Ichigo!" Keiichiro suddenly wailed.

"Nani? Why was Aoyama-kun running away?"

"Momomiya-san, I think he saw- "

"Well, that little creep! How could he do such a thing!?"

"Momomiya-san, I think he thought that- "

"Nya, well if he's doing something as evil as this, I'll do something just as evil!!"

"Momomiya-san, I really don't think-"

"I'll text dump him! Nothing is more evil than text dumping! But I love him… Well, if he doesn't love me, then… nya!"

Ichigo ran away in tears.

"_Ichigo!_" she heard a male voice call out, and didn't know who's it was. It didn't matter either – she wasn't going to stop.

`'`'`'`'`'`'


	7. Chapter 7

Whoa, I haven't written about the aliens in awhile! Sorry…

Here we go! ^^

`'`'`'`'`'`'

Pai was furiously typing on his computer, twitching nervously every time a key broke. He wasn't able to fix any, but there was a reason why he was so mad.

Kisshu was still laughing away, looking as if he were about to die from lack of oxygen (or whatever aliens need to breathe).

Mayumi suddenly walked in the room. Kisshu held his breath for about three seconds and then burst out laughing again.

"Geez, Mayumi," Taruto whined. "It's been days. I assume you have _some _plan by now."

"Not _some _plan, Taruto." Mayumi said, almost as coldly as Pai would have. "A plan that will actually work." Mayumi quickly arranged Pai's keys and began typing.

"Hey!" Pai complained angrily.

"Oooh, couple fight!" Kisshu laughed.

"Don't worry," Mayumi explained sarcastically. "I'm sure you weren't doing anything useful anyways."

Videos of Ichigo's dates began showing up, and Kisshu immediately got serious.

"Hey!!" Kisshu snapped. "Just because I'm messing with _your _love life doesn't mean you need to mess with mine!"

"Ichigo likes this boy, doesn't she?" Mayumi continued. "If we transform him into a Chimera Animal, Ichigo might not want to fight him."

"But she knows it's not _really _him." Pai smiled, feeling that he had overcome Mayumi's plan.

"Yes, I realized that too, _Pai._" Mayumi snapped back. "That's why he won't be the only one. See these two? The blonde and the brunette? How can they fight Masaya, Ryou _and _Keiichiro? Not only that… I've also picked Minto's nanny, Lettuce's doll-making idol, Zakuro's agent, and Pudding's fiancée. They can't handle them all."

"But they will be fighting for the ones they love." Pai explained in an attempt to overcome Mayumi again.

"And they will accept death nobly because of it." Mayumi smirked, and laughed such a malicious laugh that even the aliens were afraid.

`'`'`'`'`'`'

Pai walked into Mayumi's room.

"Quite an impressive plan," Pai admitted. "Mayumi-chan."

"We're working together, not becoming friends." Mayumi said angrily. "Mayumi-_san_ from now on." Pai was suddenly surprised. He expected her to be shocked by his kindness and accept his friendship. But she didn't.

"Pai, look," Mayumi continued. "I know you're trying to be friendly. But I'm warning you – the past is the past. Nothing's gonna happen." Pai suddenly blushed deeply.

"Let's just… get the Spirits." Pai said nervously, as he felt his eyes grow warmer from tears.

`'`'`'`'`'`'

Mayumi teletransported with her three partners into Café Mew Mew.

"Kisshu!" Ichigo yelped.

"Ichigo!" Minto cried. "Aren't you surprised to see the others as well? His name is the only one you say when they come." Ichigo blushed and her cat ears and tail popped out.

"Who's the newbie?" Zakuro asked coldly, as she held her pendant, waiting for an answer. Kisshu burst out in laughter again, but Pai suddenly growled and began chocking him.

"Shut up!" Pai snapped, but as soon as he let go, Kisshu began his laughing fit once more. Pai looked really ticked off now – his eye was twitching nervously and he suddenly held his fan.

"There's no need to be mad." Mayumi stated calmly. "What's past is past, right?"

"Yeah, but it makes the future hi-la-ri-ous!" Kisshu mocked Mayumi happily.

"Okay, now can we know who she is?"Minto asked with an irritated expression. They had all transformed quite a long time ago, but didn't catch the aliens' attention.

"Everyone," Kisshu said, holding back laughter for a moment. "This is Mayumi… he... hehe… Pai's…" Kisshu couldn't hold it anymore and began laughing again. Mayumi just rolled her eyes.

"That tears it!" Pai yelled. "I am going to chop you to bits! FUU-RAI-SEN!" Kisshu dodged his attacks happily, still laughing at the whole situation.

"STOP IT!!" Mayumi yelled, shaking the Café. "That is not what we came here for, you two bakas!!"

"But… it's funny!" Kisshu cried, still laughing. Pai teletransported away.

"Since Kisshu is being such a kid," Taruto explained. "Then I'll say it. Mayumi is Pai's ex-girlfriend." Mayumi blushed a deep red, as Kisshu just laughed even harder now.

"Where are the blonde and brunette?" Mayumi asked impatiently.

"Ha! You can't get them, na no da!" Pudding yelled happily. "They're shopping!"

"Let's return later." Mayumi said to Taruto, who was the only one she could talk to. "And, Kisshu, so what!? You shouldn't get hung up in the past!"

"Oh, should I?" Kisshu said, still laughing (I know, it's getting annoying). "Future sister-in-law!?" Mayumi slapped him hard, and even though he stopped for about a second, Kisshu just went right back laughing. And the three teletransported away, leaving the five Mews blinking in surprise.

"We didn't even do anything!" Lettuce exclaimed.

`'`'`'`'`'`'


	8. Chapter 8

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Miwa and Moe were visiting Ichigo at the Café after it closed (mostly, to see Ryou and Keiichiro, but they never admitted it). They tried to seem nice and talk about things that Keiichiro and Ryou would want to talk about, but nothing really seemed to work. Keiichiro's need to work and Ryou's coldness (since he didn't work at all) interfered.

"Hey, Kisshu, look at this!" exclaimed a female voice.

"Mayumi-san?" Ichigo asked in surprise.

"I've found two others who will serve…" she kept on saying, without showing herself.

"No, no, I've already used those before." Kisshu explained.

"Eh. Then let's just take the blonde and brunette."

"Now we're talking…"

And the two teletransported into the room. Both of them held other spirits and Chimera jellyfish.

_Author's note: I'm just going to call them Chimera jellyfish because I don't know if I should call them infusers or something. Chimera jellyfish it is._

"FUSION!!" both of them screamed in union. Two great, mutant bats appeared in front of the Mews.

"While you handle our friends…" Kisshu began.

"We'll just be gathering up some spirits here." Mayumi completed.

"Eh, Mayumi, we're getting along so well." Kisshu explained. "Why aren't you getting along with Pai? I thought the past was the past."

"And it is. And always will be." Mayumi snapped. "But some things never change."

"Tokyo Mew Mew, go!" Ryou yelled in the midst of the mess.

"Mew Mew Zakuro!"

"Mew Mew Pudding!"

"Mew Mew Lettuce!"

"Mew Mew Minto!"

"Mew Mew Strawberry!"

"METAMORPHO-SIS!"

Pai and Taruto suddenly appeared while the Mews were starting to become weak against the beat of the bats' wings and their sonar radar noises.

"It's too loud na no da!" Pudding whined.

"We'll just be watching!" Taruto smiled evilly.

"I won't." Pai said coldly. "How can I help?"

"Eh, you could-" Kisshu began, but Mayumi quickly slapped his mouth shut.

"Get at least one spirit from the blonde and brunette." Mayumi completed, and then looked at Kisshu angrily. "Don't… you… dare…"

"Hai." Pai stated, and turned to the two. The two obviously noticed the aliens' conversation and began running around the Café.

"Uh, Mew Mews!?" Keiichiro yelled somewhat desperately.

"_A little help_!!" Ryou yelled.

"_What_!?" Minto yelled back, still unable to handle the sonar radar noises from the bats.

"We _can't hear you_!" Lettuce screamed.

"Na… no… daaa!!" Pudding screamed along.

It was very hard, because while one bat rested, the other was screaming away.

As the alien and two men ran around in one direction, Mayumi suddenly ran in the other, grabbed Keiichiro by the arm and raised him to the air.

"Will you do the honors, Pai?" Mayumi asked evilly. Pai smiled, and suddenly, Kisshu and Taruto gasped (obviously overdoing the drama). Taruto pretended to hold his heart and lose air while Kisshu suddenly fell to the floor while holding his mouth.

"Oh MY!!" Kisshu suddenly yelled. "Did you _see _that, Taruto?"

"I… don't… know…" Taruto said with his mouth open. "I… must… be… crazy…"

"Mayumi must have too great of a power to be able to do that!" Kisshu exclaimed, trying to be loud enough so that the two would hear.

"Stop distracting him!" Mayumi snapped. "This one's persistent!"

"_Keiichiro_!!" Ryou yelled, and even though he tried to save his friend, Mayumi kept on throwing small energy balls at him. When Pai finally got Keiichiro's spirit out (with some help from Taruto who joined in), Mayumi threw the body to Ryou.

"Here you go!" she said with a sarcastic tone of happiness, and then went back to her normal voice. "Good job, Pai."

"_WHAT!?_" the Mew Mews screamed in union.

Surprisingly (yet not so surprisingly), the Blue Knight suddenly jumped in, blocking the sonar radar noises with some type of a shield that his sword created from Ichigo.

"Ao no Kishi!" Ichigo exclaimed (which is Japanese for "Blue Knight").

"Reflect their sonar radar noises." He said mysteriously. "Once they realize a threat is so close, they will retreat. The aliens made its noise strange on purpose so that it didn't reflect off of anything. You'll have to do that yourselves."

"Arigato!" Ichigo said happily.

"And remember," he continued, suddenly bending over so that his mouth was beside Ichigo's ear. "I will always protect you."

The Blue Knight teletransported away, and Ichigo had to somewhat fight the wind that the sonar made and talk to the other Mews about the plan. All of them seemed to be in.

They gathered their power and made a sort of barrier. The plan succeeded well – as soon as the bats heard the strange noises they made, they started spinning in circles dizzily and Ichigo gave them one Strawberry Surprise. The spirits (that were of two zoo keepers) were separated from the Chimera jellyfish, which ended up being Masha's dinner.

Ryou only watched as the aliens teletransported away with Keiichiro's spirit, leaving him absolutely no hope of seeing his friend alive in quite some time.

"If the Spirit isn't returned soon," Ryou began as his eyes filled with tears. "Keiichiro…"

Flashbacks started coming into his mind – he had first lost his parents in a fire, and now, because of the Mew Project, he now lost the only one that was there for him. All the time.

"S-Shirogane…" Ichigo stammered.

"I will have revenge on them…" Ryou sobbed. "I will…"

If Keiichiro was alive at that moment he would have seen the great resemblance there was between the Ryou now and the Ryou that had seen the fire. It was as if no years had gone by, and Ryou was still the helpless child that presenced his parents' death.

All of the Mews stood in silence.

`'`'`'`'`'`'


	9. Chapter 9

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"Ichigo, visitor for you!" Minto called out before the Café opened. Ichigo wasn't expecting anybody, so she went to see who it was.

"Aoyama-kun!" Ichigo exclaimed happily. "Hey, I had sent you a text message the other day, but that's okay! I assume your cell phone was off. I can't blame you for any-"

"We need to talk," Aoyama-kun said with a sad look on his face. "Momomiya-san."

Ichigo's face grew pale. Had he just called her "Momomiya-san" instead of "Ichigo"? What was happening?

They both sat down at a table and Aoyama-kun sighed deeply.

"I'm only doing this for your happiness, Momomiya-san." Aoyama-kun explained. "So you can tell me if you don't want to… well… date anymore."

"_NANDE_!?" Ichigo practically yelled. "Of course not! Are you crazy? What led you to think that? Aoyama-kun, please, don't!" Tears began filling up in Ichigo's eyes.

"I saw it, Momomiya-san."

"Don't call me that! Please!"

"You were at the park and…"

"Nani? I was waiting for you, Aoyama-kun!"

"Apparently not…"

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Ichig…! Momomiya-san… please… don't make this harder than it is. You should be able to live a happy life without me."

"EEeehh!?"

"Onii-chan is breaking up with onee-chan, na no da?" Pudding screamed.

"Pudding!" Ichigo yelled angrily.

"I'll be leaving now." Aoyama-kun stated as he got up. "Sayonara, Ichigo."

Ichigo stood in pure shock, unable to believe what had just happened before her eyes.

"No…" Ichigo sobbed when her ex-boyfriend left the Café. "Please… tell me this is all a cruel, mean joke… MASAYA!!" The pink mew fell to her knees and sobbed. The other four mews came to her rescue and embraced her, trying to comfort the sadness that had grown so suddenly.

"I heard someone scream!" Ryou said with a worried look on his face as he ran in. "Ichigo? Ichigo!" Ryou came to her aid as well.

"You girls get back to work." Ryou said sternly. "I'll take care of this!"

"Hai!" Lettuce said, trying to hold back her jealous sadness.

"Hai!" Zakuro said, willing to take orders.

"Hai!" Minto said, jealous of the attention Ichigo was getting.

"Hai, na no da!" Pudding said, still wanting to comfort her friend in need or just punch Masaya across the face.

"Ichigo, calm down, okay?" Ryou said soothingly as he took her up to her room. "You can stay here… I don't mind if the pillow gets wet… just try to calm down, okay?" By now, Ichigo was red and hiccupping uncontrollably. She was intensely surprised when Ryou rubbed his hand up and down her arm.

"Shh…" he whispered. "It's okay." Ichigo's cries became quieter after time. Seconds seemed to last hours and hours seemed to last seconds.

"Shirogane…" Ichigo hiccupped.

"Shh… you're not in the mood to talk…" he said kindly. Ichigo stayed in his bed, her back turned to Ryou, who couldn't see her blushing deeply because of his niceness. He kept on rubbing her upper arm as she stuffed her face into his pillow.

_His hair must smell nice… _Ichigo thought dreamily. _I wonder what shampoo he uses…_

Suddenly, Ryou stopped rubbing her arm, and by now, Ichigo felt desperate for him to start again. He suddenly leaned in until she could feel his breath playfully tickling her neck.

"Are you okay?" he whispered soothingly.

"Ha… I don't know…" Ichigo lied. She could go back to work (even though in a terribly depressing mood) but she didn't want to leave.

"I'll go check on the others." Ryou said as he began getting up from the bed. Ichigo felt much lighter now.

"Shirogane!" Ichigo exclaimed, almost desperately, as she reached a hand out to him. He chuckled and smiled to her.

"Don't worry, I'll be back, okay?" Ryou said in a tone Ichigo didn't recognize. Almost like a parent speaking to his/her child when they want them to be near.

"Hai… but come back soon!" Ichigo said quite childishly, not recognizing her own voice. The room looked quite empty now. _Aoyama-kun, please come back, please come and comfort me telling me you still want me… _Ichigo thought in her head. She began crying again as the tears overwhelmed her.

"Ichigo… you have a visitor…"said a malicious voice from nowhere.

"Geez, you don't need to remind me!!" Ichigo exclaimed angrily. Kisshu suddenly teletransported in with his dragon swords, but was interrupted when Ichigo's cell phone rang (she got a new one by the way). She looked at the caller ID: "3 Aoyama-kun! 3".

"Kisshu, remember when you broke my other cell phone?" Ichigo said evilly as Kisshu began looking extremely confused. "Can you do that again?"

"Uh… nani?" Kisshu asked, puzzled. Ichigo sighed, seeming really annoyed.

"If you're looking for Ryou," Ichigo lied as she sat on the bed. "He isn't here. He's gone to see a sick family member."

"Okay!" Kisshu said with a sly smile, as he suddenly leaned in to kiss Ichigo. This time, she abruptly slapped him across the face (but since her cat ears and tail were out, her nails were sharper, and she scratched him instead).

"Why do you keep doing that!?" Kisshu yelled.

"Why do _you _keep on kissing me!?" Ichigo asked as her face grew red from anger.

"Why do _you _keep on refusing!?" Kisshu snapped back.

"Kyaa, just leave me alone once and for all, you baka!" Ichigo yelled as tears began streaming down her face. Kisshu suddenly stopped and looked quite concern.

"Eh, gomen dasai…" he began nervously. "I didn't mean to… I mean…"

"It's not you."Ichigo completed calmly yet sadly. "Now just go home. Ryou isn't here."

"Hai…" Kisshu said, afraid of doing anything wrong. He teletransported away and the door slowly opened.

"I, uh… kinda heard…"Ryou said as he began blushing.

"Well, then you know that my life sucks at its worst now." Ichigo said as tears began swelling up in her eyes again. She was surprised when Ryou suddenly sat on the bed and hugged her. Ichigo hesitated for a moment, but then hugged him back, letting her tears soak into his shirt.

By then, Masaya had already heard that Keiichiro had been "killed" and tried to call Ichigo to apologize. Ichigo looked at the caller ID and began crying wildly. Shirogane retreated for a moment and then took the cell phone from her.

"Wait a moment…" Ryou said angrily. "_Masaya _did this to you!?" Ichigo now threw herself into Shirogane's pillow and cried like a child, kicking her legs in anger. Shirogane made a fist so angrily that Ichigo's cell phone broke.

"That was Kisshu's job…" she sobbed into the pillow.

"Well, then, Masaya and I are going to have a little talk!"

`'`'`'`'`'`'


	10. Chapter 10

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Mayumi was typing on the computer calmly, knowing her plan was succeeding. She looked down to the somewhat dead body of a young girl and an elder woman.

"Too bad you know the Mew Mews." She said evilly and went right back to her typing.

Pai suddenly entered the room and sat down on a broken column.

"Why do you think Deep Blue chose you?" Pai asked. "Don't give me the expected answer. I want to know what you really think. I don't think Deep Blue would choose you for this out of coincidence." Mayumi stopped typing for a moment and began thinking.

"Because he noticed that we are alike to humans in a way." Mayumi stated, and continued typing.

"What do you mean?"

Mayumi smirked. "Guys are encouraged to try their best with girls around."

With these words, she teletransported away, her face red from blushing.

`'`'`'`'`'`'

Mayumi went to her room the next day (I really won't describe it since it's an alien's room) and found a small note on her bed.

_Meet me on the far East corner of the dimension._

_-Pai_

Mayumi held the note in her hand, not sure if she should be happy or angry at Pai. Either way, she went to the East corner and found Pai waiting there, with something that seemed to look like a very small smile.

"Pai, look," Mayumi began. "I really don't think we-" Mayumi was about to say "I don't think we can date", but she was interrupted when Pai suddenly stood up, cupped her chin in his hands and pressed his lips against hers.

Mayumi knew she shouldn't be doing it. That even though the past was the past, it was ruining her present. But she wanted to. She wanted to so badly that it tore her apart and made her keep hanging on to Pai's shirt desperately as she was then. And it was the first time in a long time that Pai and Mayumi had actually smiled.

`'`'`'`'`'`'

Kisshu had gone off to find Ryou and take his spirit, and he teletransported into the Café with Taruto.

"We're back!" Taruto exclaimed.

"Where are the other two?" Ichigo asked as she took her pendant calmly. She had done this a million times and was ready to kick Kisshu's butt once more.

"Other two? Hey!" Kisshu said angrily. "Pai bailed on us!"

"I bet he's with _Mayumi_!" Taruto laughed. "Pai and Mayumi sitting in a tree!"

"He's not even here to be annoyed!" Kisshu huffed as he crossed his arms childishly.

"What Chimera animal do you have now?" Minto asked defiantly.

"None. We're just here to pick _him _up!" Kisshu said devilishly while pointing to Ryou.

"Give us your spirit, sucker!" Taruto laughed. Kisshu stretched his hand out, when Lettuce suddenly jumped in front of him.

"Lettuce?" Ryou asked, and it was quite stupid since he already knew who it was. He knew Lettuce liked her, but he liked her as a friend, and it tore him apart to see someone as nice as her feeling so terribly because of him.

Because Lettuce had transformed before, her powers kept her from having her spirit taken, but not from suffering.

"Come on, blondie!" Kisshu encouraged. "Jump in front! Save her life! But not yours…" And he laughed quite evilly.

"Shirogane, don't! She will survive!" Ichigo yelled, but Ryou knew he wouldn't. He didn't love Lettuce that way. He never had. He just wanted them to be friends – nothing more, and felt bad for having her first love be her worst love, but he couldn't make himself love her back.

"D'ah! Mayumi was right!" Taruto said angrily. "We should have had a plan!"

"This _is _the plan!" Kisshu yelled sternly, as he continued to struggle.

"Well, it's a bad one!"

"Don't talk to me like that, _kid_!"

"I'm not a kid! Baka, baka, baka!"


	11. Chapter 11

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Zakuro came running into the Café breathless. Before anybody could ask, Zakuro began explaining.

"Momoka-chan's Spirit has been taken!"

"EEeeh!?" Ichigo wailed. "Why are so many Spirits being taken!?"

"She's not the only one!" Zakuro continued. "Minto's nanny's Spirit has been taken as well. And, Ichigo, that's not the worst of it. I saw your boyfriend lying dead in the park today. No bruises, no nothing." Ichigo froze pale. Aoyama-kun had broken up with her, but she still loved him with all of her heart, soul and mind.

"Kisshu…" Ichigo growled as she clenched her fists. "Let's go after them!"

"You don't know what can happen!" Ryou said angrily.

"I don't care!" Ichigo yelled, shedding tears that became shining tears. Her body began to glow a shade of light blue. "I will never forgive Kisshu for this!!"

"I'll, uh, search for a portal." Ryou said as he ran off to the lab, afraid to talk to Ichigo when she was in such a state.

"Ichigo, please calm down." Zakuro asked kindly, laying her hand on Ichigo's shoulder. "We'll get him back." Ichigo fell to her knees and sobbed, and her body continued glowing due to the shining tears she kept on shedding.

_Mayumi… do you even know what it's like to lose someone!? _Ichigo yelled in her mind.

`'`'`'`'`'`'

"Mayumi…" Deep Blue called. The female alien kneeled down and looked down to the floor emotionless. "Mayumi… I don't think your presence is doing the good that I thought it would…"

"But Deep Blue," Mayumi insisted, now looking up. "You said that Pai needed to change, and, well… I'm very sure that he did."

"It looks as if it isn't the way I want it." Deep Blue continued. "Instead of trying his best, he is becoming a distracted man. Like Kisshu. And that I cannot accept. But I do not blame you. Though I still don't get why you'd break up if you both love each other so much…"

Deep Blue disappeared, and Mayumi was simply kneeled on the floor without movement. She plopped down on the floor and covered her face with her hands until they were moist with tears. At that moment, Kisshu passed by on his daily visit to Pai (to mock him, of course), and saw the poor alien girl like a child.

"Eh… Mayumi?" Kisshu asked nervously, not knowing how to react to the situation. "You're not crying because I mock you and Pai, are you?" Mayumi shook her head.

"Oh, uh, okay. Bye." Kisshu said as he walked out and decided to return to his room.

_Flashback time! Wow I was waiting for so long to write this! Haha_…

Mayumi had been dating Pai for awhile, and gazed dreamily at her engagement ring. It was another normal day for her, until her brother came in, breathless.

"Mayumi!" he called out desperately. Mayumi smirked and giggled.

"Don't you love love?" she laughed with a silly smile on her face.

"Mayumi… today… Kraiimen…" he panted. The Kraiimen was a traditional celebration where the parents of the bride and groom would dine showing that they both accepted the marriage. The bride and groom did not attend though.

"Isn't it great!?" Mayumi said excitedly. "And Daddy finally agreed on the marriage… after all that work! I didn't even tell Pai yet…"

"Mayumi, Father has been killed!" her brother announced, and all of Mayumi's excitement flushed away. Tears filled up her eyes and she wailed all the way to her boyfriend's house. She didn't even bother to knock – she simply ran in and, as soon as she saw Pai, embraced him.

"Mayumi?" he said with a concerned look. At the time, Pai was a boyfriend that every girl wanted to have – sweet, kind, loving, caring, protective, strong, the whole package. After a few minutes, they discussed the situation, and Pai let her stay at his house until she felt good enough to go home.

Mayumi let herself be comforted by her fiancée for a few days, trying not to remember the investigation that was currently happening. Her brother was no help, and one day, he came in again, and Mayumi expected him to give a full report. Instead, he asked for Mayumi.

"Why are we talking alone?" Mayumi asked, irritated with her brother's timely visit.

"Mayumi, they've found suspects." He whispered, and a moment of silence suddenly began bothering Mayumi. "The Kraiimen was in a very deserted restaurant that is usually for weary travelers. The owner wasn't there, and so the only people that were there (other than our family)…" He said this because it is a tradition for the aliens to prepare their own food at a restaurant when the owner isn't there.

Mayumi gasped and began sobbing again. It made sense to her. Pai still didn't know about her Father's last-minute agreement. _He would have wanted us to marry, _Mayumi explained to herself. _And he knew that the Kraiimen _had _to go well for us to do so… But this… This!_

Mayumi tried to run off, but Pai was watching the two from afar just in case. He hadn't heard anything, but as soon as he saw his girlfriend running off, he went after her. He was quick enough to grab her arm and turn her around, and watched hopelessly as her tears ran down her face. It was only then that they realized that they had run quite a long way.

Pai (who was the protective type) had brought two swords in case of emergencies. Mayumi suddenly took the two and handed one to Pai.

"You went too far!" Mayumi yelled. Pai looked confused for a moment and then realized what she was talking about.

"Mayumi, I didn't. I mean, I could never-"

"If you're to be like this, Pai, then I have no choice. Fight me or… I'll do to you what you did to my Father!"

Pai stood frozen for a moment. How could she doubt him so much, so suddenly? It was a touchy subject, but so was their marriage.

Mayumi landed the first stroke, but Pai's reflexes were fast. Mayumi looked extremely angry as she did exaggerated movements, yet tears continued to run down her face. They fought from the time that the three moons were setting to the time that the two suns were at their highest point. Generally, Mayumi kept trying offense, and Pai, defense. Yet, Pai had to land a few strokes from time to time (aiming at Mayumi's sword) to weaken her and make her stop before she got hurt.

Mayumi did stop – but Pai's stroke was too fast for him to realize that he had opened a deep wound in Mayumi's throat. It hadn't been on purpose, not ever. She was kneeling on the floor, allowing the blood to run down as she gasped for oxygen (or whatever aliens breathe). Pai's face grew pale.

"Mayumi, I didn't mean to- !" Pai began, but was shortly interrupted.

"Just do it!" Mayumi wheezed. "Just like you did… to my Father…"

"Mayumi, no-!"

"Don't make me… die slowly…" Mayumi said with her last breath of air before she passed out.

Hours passed by like seconds, and soon, Mayumi found herself in a hospital. Her brother sat beside her. He kept on talking on and on about Pai's Father…

It was then that Mayumi realized that it needed to be someone from the Kraiimen. The groom didn't attend. It couldn't be his work. She had judged him so quickly, and doubted him so much. She kept on sleeping and later woke up to find a note on her lap.

_Mayumi,_

_I'm sorry… but I've been sent on a mission to Earth. I know married or engaged men aren't sent off like this, but Deep Blue heard about the situation and… anyways, I'll be at the dock and four. I'd like to see you one last time. We might not have another chance._

_Please come._

_Pai_

But Mayumi never had the courage to face Pai again. She couldn't forgive herself for what she did, and thought that if she couldn't do it, Pai couldn't either.

Pai, on the other hand, thought that Mayumi didn't come because she didn't forgive him, even though the accusations were false.

Both of their hearts turned to stone and they began and continued to find all kind of failure in themselves, which was tearing their happiness apart. Soon, there was no happiness left.

Maybe that was the reason that Pai had reacted so suddenly to seeing Mayumi again…

"_We might not have another chance._" – Pai.

`'`'`'`'`'`'


	12. Chapter 12

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Mayumi, Pai, Taruto and Kisshu still needed Ryou's spirit to complete their plan, so they teletransported into Café Mew Mew. They only saw Ichigo glowing a light blue and four Mews, Keiichiro and Ryou looking up at them. She looked up angrily at the four.

"You… could… kill… MASAYA!!" Ichigo yelled as multicolored flames came from her Strawberry Bell. Kisshu only reattributed with his own energy beam.

"Mayumi, you may have the honors!" Kisshu said evilly, as he pointed at Ichigo. Mayumi suddenly made a type of alien axe appear, and began spinning it wildly.

They fought angrily for a long time. Ichigo wanted to save Masaya, and Mayumi wanted to impress Pai. They both gave their best at defense and offense until their weapons finally met and both strived to push the other down.

"Do you know how bad it is to lose someone!?" Ichigo yelled. Mayumi suddenly looked offended, and pulled back her axe and back so quickly that Ichigo couldn't defend herself. She fell to the floor with a large cut on her neck.

"Just do it!" Ichigo yelled, and Mayumi suddenly froze, holding her axe behind her, ready to give a blow. "Just like you did to Masaya!"

Mayumi suddenly dropped her axe and began sobbing lightly. Secretly, Pai found it that when she did this she looked very cute. Kisshu, who was looking dead pale from disbelief that Ichigo really _was _in danger (since he never _meant _to _kill_ her), and was almost breathless from all of the excitement.

"What is it!?" Ichigo continued madly. "Lost courage!?"

Now something terribly surprising happened. Ichigo always knew that the Mew Mews could have shining tears if they loved and cried for their beloved. She didn't know aliens could too.

Mayumi began glowing, yet it was a shade of red. Her eyes filled with fire, yet Ichigo was glowing too. They both threw powerful beams at each other, and the meeting point kept on getting closer to Ichigo, then closer to Mayumi. Ichigo, Mayumi, Ichigo, Mayumi.

Yet Ichigo suddenly threw a larger amount of energy, and Mayumi fell to the floor. Kisshu and Taruto suddenly looked at Pai.

"_He's gonna blow_!" Kisshu yelled as he flung a table sideways and his behind it.

"Wait for me!" Taruto cried out, and hid along with Kisshu, the two embracing themselves like two little kids waiting for a storm to end. Pai suddenly teletransported in front of Ichigo, his fan to her neck.

"You've gone too far." He stated angrily, and raised his fan to give his blow. The unexpected happened – Kisshu teletransported between the two, and was looking straight at Pai. But Pai hadn't seen him, and Kisshu felt Pai's electricity flowing through his veins, cutting up whichever organs it found.

"_KISH!_" Ichigo cried out. She began glowing brighter and brighter until the light was so bright that you saw nothing in the room but the color white. When the light had disappeared, Kisshu suddenly woke.

"I will… protect you…" Kish whispered, and then chuckled. Yet he immediately held his stomach, since chuckling hurt him. Pai picked up Mayumi.

"By the way, Kish. You're banned." Pai said angrily and teletransported away.

_`'`'`'`'`'`'_

_Author's note: I know, I know, too much glowing. But it's gotta be dramatic!_


	13. Chapter 13

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Ichigo sat outside the Café and looked down to the floor. Mayumi suddenly teletransported in, axe in hand, and Ichigo immediately transformed. They both stood there for a moment, looking at each other. Mayumi sighed and kicked her axe across the floor to Ichigo's feet.

"I don't want to fight." Mayumi stated clearly. Ichigo threw her Strawberry Bell until it was below Mayumi's feet, and there was another moment of silence.

"I'd like to apologize for exaggerating." Mayumi said coldly. "I went too far."

"I went far as well…" Ichigo admitted. "But… why did you get so angry?" Mayumi looked down to the floor and cupped her hands as a small box suddenly appeared. They both sat down on the bench and Mayumi handed the small box to Ichigo as if it were the most fragile item. Ichigo opened the box and was very stunned.

"Uh, okay, um…" Ichigo stuttered, looking down at the ring. "What is this supposed to mean? Because I'm getting freaked out here."

Mayumi laughed.

"I'm not proposing to you, don't worry!" Mayumi giggled. "Pai gave me that."

"So you're getting married?" Ichigo smiled.

"Were." Mayumi whispered. "It was a long time ago…" Mayumi explained her side of the story as Ichigo watched Mayumi's expression. It was a bit like when she was listening to Ryou's story – at the end, her eyes were filled with tears.

"I… I didn't know…" Ichigo sobbed, as she stared at the scar on Mayumi's neck that she had never cared to notice.

"It's a beautiful story." Zakuro's voice said, and it was then that the two noticed that the Mews, Ryou and Keiichiro were standing a small distance from them.

"Not in my opinion…" Mayumi said as she got up and teletransported away.

"Wait!" Ichigo called out. "Why did you trust me when you knew I could summon my Strawberry Bell back to me at any moment?"

"Because you trusted me when I could summon my axe, didn't you?"

Ichigo smiled.

"But… we're still enemies, m'kay?" Mayumi said with a laugh.

"Enemies!" Ichigo giggled, stretching her hand out for a shake. Mayumi took it, but also twisted one of Ichigo's fingers.

"Ow!" she cried out, and Mayumi teletransported away, holding the ring close to her heart as it always had been.

`'`'`'`'`'`'

_Me: Writer's block. ____ Nya any help!? I need some!_

_Kish: And you haven't written any fluff with Ichigo and I._

_Me: Because you're mine! __Mwahahah!_

_Kish: o.o_

_Me: Um… __I mean… see ya!_


	14. Chapter 14

_OMG This took me FOREVER to write because I had no idea of what would happen! It might not be that good of an ending… But hey, I tried!_

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Ichigo sighed as she sat in the Café in her Mew Ichigo form. Mayumi had warned her that today was the day. They could take care of one chimera animal at a time (and they would be only able to take care of so many (it's in one of the final episodes…) because they knew the animal's weaknesses).

Ichigo was afraid she wouldn't be prepared. And she couldn't fight as well knowing that all of her friend's spirits were there, and that they might remember how she was fighting against them. How many things could she run in this battle?

"Ryou…" Ichigo called out as she saw him pass by. He simply looked at her expecting a short question as Ichigo would ask.

"Do you think we can do this?" she asked, expecting some type of encouragement. Ryou signed in what seemed to be an annoyed tone.

"You might not." Ryou admitted. "We might need some help…"

"Nani?" Ichigo said, confused as ever. Ryou seemed to wake up from some type of dream and laughed nervously.

"No, nothing!" he stammered. "I'm just… going to check on Keiichiro. It seems that if you return the spirit soon enough, he won't… well…"

"I'll do my best." Ichigo smiled, knowing that, in her attempt to _be _encouraged, she encouraged him instead. Ryou nodded and walked away with his hands behind his back (it's so cute when he does that… xD).

Mayumi showed up at the Café, and the room seemed to be as solemn as a funeral. Mayumi didn't want to do it – she felt like she just couldn't. Ichigo got up, expecting to be welcomed by a herd of chimera animals, but Mayumi didn't do anything.

"Pai, Kisshu and Taruto are at the park." Mayumi stated. "You should go there…" Ichigo was very surprised, yet she just nodded. It was a moment where you felt that they were helping each other out.

`'`'`'`'`'`'

At the park, the Mews had cleared out the people and were prepared to win at any cost. Many different (and new) chimera animals suddenly appeared, looking very beastly and horrid. For you see, the purer the spirit, the more horrible the monster.

_Ps: I don't know how to spell "purer"._

Kisshu snickered, Pai looked somber (surprise, surprise…), and Taruto waved his weapon playfully.

The fight seemed to go on for hours – there were too many new moves and too many new animals for them to think of a rational weakness for them. There was no time to think at all – except to think of your aim at the animals. They were too many, and they didn't know a thing about them.

"Minna!" Minto gasped. "I'm… I don't know if I can continue!"

"Too many…" Lettuce added.

"They're good, na no da!" Pudding yelled.

Ichigo was hitting every animal, but one. She felt it – it was Masaya's spirit. And no matter how much she tried, she couldn't hit it.

_PS: heh… I made Masaya's spirit "catcheable". xD_

It was just Ichigo's morals that brought her to slowly bring her defense down. The animals playfully threw her around, as she stopped attacking as well.

"Ichigo! What are you doing?" Zakuro snapped as she continued to wave her spear. Ichigo couldn't even speak. The animals barely let her breathe, and as soon as they realized she couldn't move, they let her lie there.

"One down, four to go!" Taruto laughed, shocking Ichigo with his weapon.

_Yes, me again… I don't know his weapon's name… sorry…_

"Mew Ichigoo, na no daa!" Pudding called out.

"Get up!" Minto snapped.

Yet, Ichigo lay on the floor… and as she looked up at Kisshu, she realized that every time she was hit he seemed to be as well. Yet no one was even touching him. His pained face made her feel great compassion for him.

_Masaya never seemed so… sad… _Ichigo thought, as she watched Kisshu in some sort of struggle. The truth was, he was struggling to not help her. To not hold her in her arms for one last moment. But his thoughts tormented him terribly.

He suddenly flew down to her in tears.

"Ichigo…" he whispered in her ear as he took her in an embrace. Ichigo was stunned (even though she couldn't express it), yet she made a great effort to raise her arms and hug him back. She was able to reach his shoulders and hold them, as he held her neck delicately. He began crying, and Ichigo felt like she was holding a small child.

"Kisshu…" Ichigo managed to whisper back. "Your brothers…"

"I don't care…" he cried. "Please, Ichigo… don't go…" Ichigo smiled kindly.

"Gome, Kisshu." She whispered as she released him and fell into his arms. Kisshu couldn't move. He felt like he had no reason to do anything. He had to be there for Ichigo 'til the end, but he didn't know when it was.

The chimera animals suddenly began glowing in a sort of struggle. They held their necks (whichever ones had them) and breathed heavily.

"What's going on?" said Zakuro, completely worn out. The chimera animals glowed so bright that you could barely see anything. But Kisshu wasn't even there.

It was as if they had been defeated – Masha was happily collecting the chimera jellyfish and whatever spirits he/she could hold.

_No, I do not know if Masha is a he or a she. xD It's a robot, so…_

The mews looked at each other with a great surprised look. Ichigo's eyes began opening slowly.

"Ichigo!" Kisshu exclaimed happily, noticing that all of her bruises were gone.

"I felt it…" she told him and all of the mews that began to gather. "They were giving me all of the energy they had… because they love me." Ichigo suddenly chuckled happily.

"Arigato, Kisshu!" Ichigo laughed, hugging him. "I feel as if you've saved my life… you were there for me…" _How could Masaya not have been? _Ichigo asked herself, even though she knew the answer in a way. _I felt it that he wasn't the first one to stop because of me. He gave me his energy, but he wasn't the first one._

"Kisshu… I feel so terrible…" Ichigo began, teary-eyed.

"Y-You don't feel well?" Kisshu asked, terrified. "Let's take you to the hospital and then-"

"Not in that way." Ichigo replied. "You… you really love me, don't you? You left your brothers… you'd do anything…"

"Anything…" Kisshu repeated. Ichigo smiled and let herself be carried in Kisshu's arms to the Café.

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Meanwhile… with the aliens…

"I saw what you did." Pai admitted.

"You're good at this…" Mayumi replied, not noticing Taruto's quiet entrance.

"You weakened the chimera animals… so then the spirits would be the dominant part of them."

"I know. I just don't think fighting is the answer to everything."

"You don't act like it."

"Pai, look… I know you're probably not willing to forgive me, nor will you be any sooner… and I totally understand, but-"

"Never forgive you?" Pai questioned, not believing what Mayumi was saying. "I thought you would never forgive _me_."

"For what?"

"Leaving…"

"It's your duty. Of course I'll forgive you."

"And lying."

"W-What do you mean?" Mayumi said, picking up the hint, her eyes swelling with tears.

"About your father…"

"You weren't even there!"

"I passed by… I felt like your father-"

"But that's not allowed…"

"Gomenasai." Pai said very simply, looking down with great weight on his shoulders. Mayumi looked at him, the tears running down her face like a waterfall, and yet she didn't leave.

"Pai…" Mayumi began, not recognizing her own tone of voice. "You did it because… because you wanted to marry me… and… I can forgive you. It will be a burden, but… I forgive you."

Pai looked at her in disbelief.

"How can you be so understanding?" Pai said angrily, nearly crying and holding her upper arms. "Don't you understand what I did?" Mayumi smiled, though she was still crying.

"Because…" Mayumi smiled. "I… Well, I…" Pai let go of her, understanding what she was about to say. He cupped her chin and leaned forward, delicately letting his lips touch hers, when Taruto suddenly decided to speak at the wrong time.

"Eeeww!" he cried out. "Get a _room_!" Mayumi made her axe appear from somewhere, and Pai took his fan as they both looked at him angrily.

`'`'`'`'`'`'

At the Café, everybody greeted Keiichiro happily, welcoming him back to Café Mew Mew.

"I'm glad to be back!" Keiichiro smiled.

"Ryou _criiieed_!" Pudding wailed, making Ryou blush.

"Well, I, uh…" Ryou stammered, but everybody's attention had been drawn back to Keiichiro.

"What about you, Ichigo-chan?" Minto began, with that devilish smile. "Seems like you have found a new lover that's _out of this world_…"

"Nani??" Ichigo cried out. She was usually very embarrassed about talking about Kisshu's crush. But now she liked him back. He had always been there and she never noticed. And she wasn't afraid to admit it.

"I'm not sure yet."Ichigo admitted. "I hope he likes me back." This is the time when everybody goes O_O.

"Kawaii, you know I do!" Kisshu said with an ear-to-ear smile, teleporting from who-knows-where and hugging Ichigo from behind.

"Ew…" Minto scoffed.

"Weird." Ryou exclaimed. "Oh, yeah… um, I forgot a… _small _detail…"

"MORE!?" the mews exclaimed. Ichigo stunned Kisshu as she said this, and he fell to the floor.

"Ichigo, remember when I said we might need some help?" Ryou turned to Ichigo.

"H-Hai…" she answered nervously.

"Well… I kinda tried…"

"What happened?"

"And when I came it was a bit late… you guys had already defeated them…"

"What did you do!?"

"Apparently," Keiichiro added (Ryou had told him). "You guys have a new friend."

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TO BE CONTINUED! MWAHAHA!

And don't worry… Tart is okay… I think…


End file.
